#WhatsUpToday December to January

At the beginning of December, we started a weekly series on Twitter that we've been tagging #whatsuptoday, and we recently reviewed all the pictures we've been taking.   What resulted is a slice-of-life trip down memory lane that we hope you enjoy as much as we did looking through it.    Our pictures range from Christmas decorating to ipod listening, from retail to custom to costumes.  Since we finished the 1812 project we have worked on inventorying our rental Closet, updating a vintage mink jacket, altering two different Inaugural gowns, creating several geisha costumes for a local production, and so much more.  We look forward to bringing you more slices of studio life, and we hope you look forward to seeing it!


December

 January

Looking forward to what February has in store? Check out our Twitter feed for real-time updates, or check back at the end of the month for our next #WhatsUpToday review.

Etsy Love

Hello all! This is just a quick note to let you know that from now until midnight on March 17, all green merchandise in our Etsy shop is 10% off! Just enter LUCKOTHEIRISH at checkout. We'll be doing more of these themed sales, and we'll announce them through Facebook, Twitter, and our
monthly newsletter.

Stay tuned for our latest Flashback Friday later today :)

The (now pink) Edwardian gown arrived in Maine today and my customer absolutely loved it. She gave me fabulous feedback about it on my Etsy site (www.multitalentedmama.etsy.com). If you click on feedback it will come up with a photo of the dress before it was dyed rosy pink.
I have a new client (who's also going on a cruise) and I will be making 5 pieces for her! Fortunately, we focused on mix and match pieces in non-wrinkling fabrics so I will be able to make the deadline for her. She's going to be wonderful to work with!
Kevin is home on leave so I'm trying to balance spending time with him and family with meeting deadlines at work. Not so easy!
The Dutch Country Market finally opened in its new location which is so conveniently across the street (sort of) from my Studio. I went to the Grand Opening this morning in my capacity as Vice-President of the Laurel Board of Trade. It was wonderful!!! I certainly plan to adjust my grocery shopping habits and go there. It's interesting, I just finished reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver describing her family's experience with eating local for a year. It reminded me so much of when I was a country wife in Chautauqua County, New York. I've long felt uncomfortable with buying stuff from around the world and in a half-hearted way have spent the past couple of years focusing on shopping more local, no big box stores, shopping at Mom and Pop stores, reading labels for where something was manufactured or grown and dreaming about gardening and canning. I've always felt there was more value in something that was hand made, especially if I knew the maker. After this book, I am firmly re-committed to the whole concept of the locavore lifestyle. We did get a garden going this year and next year will be better. I have put some stuff up, not as much as I would like, but enough to feel good. I buy produce from the farmers market as much as possible and shop along Main Streets throughout the area looking for the small sole proprietor, family owned shops for everything. I'm back at the thrift and consigment shops for things. I'm back where I used to be in life philosophy and this time I won't let myself be led astray. So, Dutch Market, expect to see me a lot! Local, organic, family farms (locovore radius 250 miles maximum).
Gotta go, alterations to finish and fabric to shop for!!!

Etsy Sale = Dye Job

I'm all excited! One of the dresses in my Etsy store, the Edwardian one with over 600 views, has sold! But, the buyer asked if I would dye it for her...she also asked if that horrified me. It doesn't, I like the creamy colors of it as is, but after explaining the ins and outs and color absorbtion of dye to her, I'm sort of intrigued about how it will turn out. We're going for light pink to complement her fair blonde coloring. Since the fibers are all polyesters, cottons and blends thereof, the dye will sit mostly on the surface of the fibers and each of the several fabrics used to create the dress will take the dye differently, creating a monochromatic effect. But that also means I have to create a dye bath of a much deeper color to get the light pink.
I have to remember to take before pictures prior to dyeing it and then after pictures to show the results. It will make an intersting couple of pages in my portfolio.
I'll let you know how it goes!

Summer's Over!

Well, Labor Day is now behind us and the tempo of life is picking up as kids go back to school, vacations are now memories and the march towards the end of the year is almost complete. Each year seems to go by faster than the one before, but this year has done triple time so far. I'm still not used to writing 09!
The pace of work at the studio is also picking up. There is one project from this summer that is still waiting for completion, but over the weekend 4 old and new clients brought in repairs, alterations and renovations. The answering machine this morning delivered a new sewing student and a dress by early October. Looks like I'll be busy!
I was really excited today to check my Etsy store and find a request for information about the Edwardian gown. It's had almost 700 people look at it and a few ask about bust measurements (36") and I hope it sells today. There are some new items up there as well and many are suited to the cold season coming up. Check it out at www.multitalentedmama.etsy.com.
I've spent much of my sewing time today working on extensive repairs on Poe. His poor bird suit is literally falling apart at the seams. Just for the record, it was made by a company in Canada that specializes in mascots. What I do for Poe is to maintain the costume and make all the clothes he wears over it. Since I first started working with Poe I've made him a closet full of clothes and hats. Right now, it's all repair work and all stitching by hand with doubled buttonhole thread. I think by the time I'm done, I'll have restitched the entire thing, and if you've ever seen Poe on TV or at an appearance, you know that's a lot of seam!

Etsy Seller Showcase!

I'm so excited! I was just at my on-line Etsy store ( www.multitalentedmama.etsy.com ) and was browsing around the site and realized that the golden denim pants I listed is part of the Seller's Showcase!! Here's hoping that someone loves them as much as I do and buys them!
I have great hopes for my Etsy store and my first sale was for a wrap skirt that I shipped to England! Learned a lot about customs shipping that one! And, best of all, a satisfied customer and a 100% positive feedback rating!
Gotta go, working on costumes for Cyrano!

It's been a while since I've had the time to write on my blog. I guess that's a good thing, means I've been busy. So far the first 3 months of 2009 have been a blur of Inaugural gowns, costumes for the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company....Country Wife is eligible for a Helen Hayes Award and we're all crossing our fingers for a nomination! Lots of little and not so little jobs and now I'm into Prom season.
I'm working with several girls to create the prom gown of their dreams; and these girls can dream big! The gowns will be gorgeous when completed and I'll try to teach myself how to put photos up here for you to see.
I've been working on items to add to my Etsy store and with Jessica's help, a few of them are now up. Guess what!? My first Etsy sale was to a lovely girl in England! I learned all about customs shipping that one out. And now with my son in Iraq, I get to fill out custom forms a couple of times a month.
Since it's almost 3 in the morning, I guess I'd better go home and get some sleep. I promise not to take so long to write again.
Happy morning!